Final Fantasy VI Aftermath
by Sonic Rose
Summary: While this story isn't finished, I am working on refining this. It does draw some from Final Fantasy IV because I'd like to tie them in. In this story, we see what happened after te credits in Final Fantasy 3 rolled. It contains romantic/mature themes.
1. Final Fantasy VI; Aftermath: Prologue to...

Notes: Final Fantasy is my favorite RPG Series, but I felt that the only thing FFVI didn't have was an adequate ending... FFIV showed what happened to the lead characters at least - wedding! This is my version of what happened. All FF chars are © of SquareSoft. Music by Nobou Uematsu is stupendous.  
  
  
  
Prologue to the Lefend: New Beginnings  
  
  
  
The World of Ruin may rest at last... yet not all are content with 'peace'...  
  
"All aboard!" cried the ghostly conductor of the Phantom Train. Since Kefka's onslaught, this was the first time it had been less than full. Kefka's soul boards the train followed by the soldier from the ruined city.  
  
The whistle blows and the train moves by its own will. It cares not its cargo or what happens, for the train is a soul which cannot be changed or altered against its will. The train goes through the forest with no difficulty. No one alive sees or hears the train's departure and destination. Cyan, Sabin, and Shadow have been its only living passengers in centuries, perhaps ever. The ghost hosts still clear up the mess Sabin made while eating there, much to Cyan's displeasure.  
  
The souls it carries are not as restless as they used to be. Only Kefka seems restless. He will not have a pleasant afterlife in that case.  
  
Yet elsewhere...  
  
"I held onto this world father... but why I am still here I do not know..." Terra clutched her necklace, her only momento of her father Maudin and mother Madonna. "The gate is sealed.. Espers no longer exist here and I can't transform. Did you keep me here my love?" She looked at a grave in Thamasa, General Leo's. He'd taught her to feel, to have emotions. She thought back on her childhood... robbed of memories... her mother dead, her father a power experiment to the late Emperor Ghestal. "The Empire is gone. I can hardly believe my friends and I survived against Kefka... when you did not. You saved us. I will never forget you." and, she thought to herself "I will never forget myself again either." She placed the locket on the grave, it slid a little then caught on an imperfection of the stone.  
  
She walked back into the main town. There she saw Relm playing with Interceptor outside of Strago's house. What a funny little man he was. These people were descendants of the magi, who used esper power to enhance their own. Here, Kefka destroyed many of "her" kind. Ironic... Espers had to give their lives to turn into that coveted prize, magicite, in order to save the humans who irrationally feared them.  
  
"Hiya Terra!!!!!!" Relm waved to her. So energetic, but a little sneak too.  
  
"Hello Relm. Where's your grandpa Strago? Is Shadow around, I noticed you playing with Interceptor."  
  
"Yeah... they're around. Shadow's strange, but I feel I know him."  
  
"After all that's happened these last few months not much suprizes me."  
  
"I'm sorry about the fire here and that mean old painting I drew for Owzer. And I'm sorry for following you when Grandpa didn't want me too. And I'm sorry about that Leo guy Miss Terra!"  
  
"No need to apologize. You helped us out a lot there, with Ultros and all."  
  
"Setzer's keeping the airship. Gogo, Locke, Celes, Edgar, and Sabin are there now, he's giving them rides home. You could stay here if you wanted Terra!"  
  
"That's very kind, but I can't. I don't belong here, I'm not sure where I belong."  
  
"You stayed here with us, you could've faded with the espers. You'll find some place to call home!"  
  
"I hope so Relm, I really hope so."  
  
Aboard the Falcon...  
  
"Machines! Bah! I hate machines!" Cyan complained. "No matter how much of this 'Technical' Manual I read, I shalt never like them!"  
  
"Machines are my life! Awww let me help you with the tune up Setzer!" Cid said enthusiastically, and insitently.  
  
"It's my airship, you're just passengers! This thing's getting a retirement plan!" Setzer bellowed. 'It's the least I can do for you my dearest Daryl... I was such a fool. I never told you how much I love you and now you're gone...' he thought.  
  
"I have things to get in order in Figaro. Will you be sharing the crown with me brother?" Edgar looked at Sabin hopefully.  
  
"My training's complete, this world doesn't need new fighters though. I suppose I should come home..." he replied.  
  
"Home..? Nice word if you have some place to go..." Setzer muttered more to himself than anyone else.  
  
"You called this ship home once. You'd probably retire to the Arena now eh?" Gogo said mysteriously from behind Setzer.  
  
"You're everywhere you know? I guess this ship's become my home... but... do you have a home? We've fought side by side in battle many times you skilled mimic... yet I've never seen your face."  
  
"I prefer it that way... Maybe you've seen me before, maybe I'm a stranger, but you will remember only this cloaked figure that, as you stated, fought beside you."  
  
Setzer laughed, "Perhaps you should've been named 'Enigma' rather than 'Gogo'. As a matter of fact, why do you call yourself Gogo?"  
  
"Why shouldn't I? It's not as mysterious as the name 'Shadow' or as exotic. Still, it doesn't make my help any less sought after."  
  
"Your choice. Still, I'd rather know the odds of my gamble. Gwe, hee, hee. Sometime I'll have to unmask you, regardless of your multiple skills."  
  
"I learned them by watching. It would serve you well to watch and learn for a change instead of diving at any dime tossed your way."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind Oh shrouded one." Setzer mocked. "So familiar...." he thought to himself.  
  
-Warrrrrrrrrk!- -warrrrrrrrrk!-  
  
All eyes looked to the entrance as a curious little chocobo hopped into the ship. It went straight to Cyan.  
  
"Well, it's not a machine!" Edgar laughed.  
  
The chocobo didn't go past Cyan's knees and it warrked and nuzzled him like a cat nuzzles its owner.  
  
"Awwww how sweet!" Celes said coming down from the upper deck. "You didn't tell us you chocobos liked you soo much!"  
  
"I didn't intend for this to happen. The grown creatures are much more useful, but I've as much use for this... chocobo chick as I have for machinery." Cyan shoed the chocobo away and it ran to Celes squawking all the way.  
  
"Don't scare the little thing!" Celes shouted, scooping up the chocobo and scratching it behind the ears.  
  
"It shouldn't have come here!" Cyan insisted.  
  
Celes laughed, "And what danger would it be in or threaten us? It's just a chick and we've no more battles to wage!"  
  
Locke wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his head on her shoulder. "If you like him that much, you can keep him." he said.  
  
-Warrrr....k!- It bit Locke's hand, already protective of Celes.  
  
"OW!"  
  
"Gwahaha!," Cyan laughed, "I've not heard you yell like that since that Scyther stole 1,200 gold from you treasure hunter!"  
  
She stroked it's head, "It's ok little Chocobo, Locke's a friend."  
  
At the same time Locke shouted "That thing's Kentucky Fried Chocobo if it bites me again!"  
  
There was a simultaneous roar of laughter on the ship, and an angry glare from the defiled thief. In the next minute there was a familiar voice emanating from the Ship's lower deck hatch. It was a soft distant type of voice, with the curl of womanly charm and shrouded with innocent wisdom. "Now what's all the laughter about!?" Terra said, coming into full view with the last steps to the wood deck of the ship. Behind her, Relm poked her head in with a childish "Hi guys!"  
  
"Madame Terra, tis' a pleasure to have you on this, the last embarking of the Airship, Falcon." Cyan said in formal tones, turning to greet her, his ebon cape flowering behind him in ripples till it's dance stopped about his boot clad ankles. He then gave a deep respectful bow, the cape billowing down in curves to the left side of him, making him appear a bit unstable, and despite that, still held nobility.  
  
Terra greeted his formality with a brief burst of her own laughter. Cyan was not amused, but that was broken by a loud "Gau Gau! Ms. Terra! Hi!" The spirited emerald haired youth, the monster boy of the veldt, leap frogged over the bowed soldier, Cyan, and practically leapt into Terra's arms.  
  
Well, he didn't leap into her arms, but by the bear hug he gave, he might well have. She gave a good natured smile and laugh as Relm embraced Terra too, "Oh my! Thank you both, thank you all! You don't know how much this means to me, my friends!" Her fingers ran through his rats nest of hair as it usually did to try and undo a few tangles. How his hair wasn't a bigger rats nest was beyond her, but she remembered when he met his father, how nicely he cleaned up.  
  
It was impossible to be somber around this motley crew of ex- Returners, each one with a smile. And this is how the flight of the Falcon began its so-called retirement. Everyone was there, and how they all made it, one could only call a miracle of miracles. It was from dark and saddened faces, to the silly, the beautiful, young, old, quiet, and bold, that Kefka's tyranny had been stopped, and Armageddon prevented. One could wonder at what had happened to the espers, but for the moment, it was a moot point. Terra shoed Relm back to her Grandfather Strago, the massive propellers of the Falcon began to turn, and slowly, she left the earth behind, and everyone felt as though they were floating.  
  
"Ku-PO!" Mog shouted and waved from the very tip of the ship, and the others joined the furry creature known as a Moogle, on deck, smiling and shouting, waving and saying good-bye to Thamasa and friends below. Even Cyan gave a shout to the old man, something about sticking to magic, machines are trouble. Relm was mysteriously out of sight, but Interceptor was in her place jumping and shouting and barking at them. Oh wait! There was Relm, in her window, arm held high.  
  
Atop the tallest building of the city, a dark figure stood on tip toe, ready to spring to action, a black tie keeping his facial coverings held in back, billowed to one side of him as wind from the ship's propellers swept it. He was almost as inhuman as Gogo, but in a darker way, and looked up at them with narrowed eyes. He was serene and almost meditative, and then, suddenly, he sprung from his perch with no warning. Something clasped a rail of the ship and after a few quick soft taps on the wood, a familiar form swung on deck.  
  
"Shadow!" Celes and Terra cried in unison. They looked to each other and gave a nod, and Celes, still holding the wayward chocobo in her arms, continued, "We thought you were staying in Thamasa."  
  
"Nmmm...." He didn't like to talk much and took a deep breath. "Setzer must stop the ship." He paused again and looked about. "Now." He ordered in straight monotone, that was strangely non-offensive.  
  
"What the hell?! Stop my ship!?" Setzer cried indignantly. "She's heading for Narshe whether you like it or not Ninja-man!" His long white hair flowed over his eyes and down his back, and his long fancy cape flowed with it in the breeze. He wanted this voyage to be over so he could place it at Daryl's tomb again, and live in Kohlingen near her for the rest of his days. Maybe he'd even start a gambling facility there with the money he'd earned from the travels they'd all been through.  
  
"Stowaway." He said and that was that. He walked below deck and pulled, from behind a crate of their old armors, a small blonde girl with a pale blue, pink, purple, and green turban tied with red-purple feathers and a funny tassel.  
  
"Hey! Watch it ya' big meanie!" She yelped in surprise.  
  
"Kupopopi!" Mog cried, and Umaro, the lumbering sasquatch, gave a grunt.  
  
"Relm! We saw you in your window though! How!?" Terra scolded, while the others murmured their surprised. Gau tackled the girl out of Shadow's grip and squeezed her tight as a gold bear.  
  
"Gau gau! Relm come! Knew Relm would come! Gau gau!" They laughed and danced about the ship, while the adults groaned or gave a displeased expression.  
  
"Painting." Shadow said matter-of-factly. The young artisan could reproduce things in frightening detail, and even cause them to become alive for short periods of time, it was her skill, and a good one at that.  
  
"Why Relm come on ship?" Gau inquired in his broken English way, still scrambling all about like an animal, sometimes on two legs, some times on hands and feet. His hands were callused and nails long, and his high undying energy made him seem more like an animal than his slightly pointed teeth, developed fangs, and greenish hair. But still, he'd never hurt anyone, and he wanted to return to the Veldt to tame whatever monsters were still there. He had pointed ears too that were almost elfin, and his topaz yellow eyes gleamed with intelligence as much as keen animalistic insight.  
  
"Ahh... well...! I missed you all and I wanted to join you guys! I love you miss Terra! You're my friends Gau! Sabin! Edgar! Locke! Gogo! Setzer! Shadow! Celes! Cyan! Mog! Umaro! Gau! Cid!" And with that, she clung to Terra's red clothed body. It was time for a group hug, that only Shadow stayed out of, as Locke pushed Cyan into it, despite his protesting look.  
  
The Lanky, but furry Umaro growled and moaned something that Mog told them was "I missed you" and was added to by a rain of tears.  
  
"Oh quit your blubberin' kid!" Setzer said, looking at the Sasquatch, then thought a minute. "Okay, I'll drop you off last then Relm, but you have to have Strago's permission." He shook a finger at her and she pouted, "No fair!. The old fart'll never agree!" So the Falcon landed one last time, to take on its last guest, Strago Magus. Despite Relm's blatant defiance, he knew he couldn't keep her in Thamasa as long as the Airship carried her friends, and went along with her, for he too, did not wish this to be the end. 


	2. Final Fantasy Aftermath: Homecoming

Notes: Final Fantasy is my favorite RPG Series, but I felt that the only thing FFVI didn't have was an adequate ending... FFIV showed what happened to the lead characters at least - wedding! This is my version of what happened. All FF chars are Â© of SquareSoft. Music by Nobou Uematsu is stupendous.  
  
Chapter 1: Home Coming  
  
The sky was clear and there was nothing but clear sailing. Soon, they would be upon the village Narshe, where everything had begun. Where the slave crown had slipped of Terra's brow, where Locke fought with Mog and company, in the beginning, to save Terra from Emperor Ghestal, where Tritosh had been held, and fought to save him. The small mountain town was powered by steam and mining, the monsters there were weak, and had all fled. South of there, and to the east, The Returner Headquarters had been, and further south west was Figaro Kingdom's great Clockwork Castle. And it was all still there, but Kefka had driven and sunk a great deal of the world of Balance.  
  
Relm and Gau chased each other around the deck, while Celes and Locke bickered over what to do with Boko, as Celes had named the little lost bird. "No no no! You're not keeping him!"  
  
"Her!" She stuck her tongue out at the cocky bandit, "And I was once a General you know!"  
  
"Yes! Of that wacko Ghestal's forces Magi girl!" That was it, and Celes kicked him in the groin sending doubling over in pain and hurt pride shouting an un-manly "OW!"  
  
Below deck, Mog was playing with Umaro, scratching his belly and combing his mangy snow white fur. Setzer was playing darts and showing Cyan 'how it's done', while Edgar and Sabin discussed how to divvy up the kingdom.  
  
"South Figaro needs to be in touch with us brother."  
  
"Oh Edgar, what's a muscle man like me going to do there?"  
  
"Well, I hear the women are cute." He winked.  
  
"B... bbb.... brother!"  
  
He laughed, "Oh come on Sabin, you could just collect for me information about the well-being of my people and their needs! See?"  
  
Sabin shook his head, "I know you Edgar, you womanizing scoundrel," he laughed, "And I'm not like you in my tastes, but you have a good proposal there. I wonder if my little secluded shack still stands?"  
  
"Well, we'll know when we get there. It's ashame Setzer's retiring this old barge, he wouldn't even sell it to me."  
  
"Yeah, she's seen us through some pretty stormy weather, without her, we never would have gotten half way into Kefka's blasted tower. That citadel of destruction!"  
  
And the chatter continued until Relm shouted out from above, "Narshe ho!"  
  
"Kupo kupo! Kupappa! Kumamma! Kumit! Kupei! Kupow!" Mog bellowed at a gathering of fuzzy white creatures waving to the arriving vehicle. Among them were a crowd of people all waving at the return of their heroes. "Uggghhhhh! Uuuuraaaaahhh!" Umaro yowled, sounding something like an ailing Zombone and a Chimera with a stomach ache.  
  
The ship touched down, and Locke grabbed up a pair of leather satchels packed tight with clothing and treasure from their adventures. "Well, I guess this is our stop! So long guys! Stop by any time! I hear they found some Black chocobos near Mobliz!"  
  
Boko chirped and Celes stroked its little head, "Oh Locke! That's just a story! A legend! It's old as the story of Zeromus and the whale!"  
  
"Oh I know that Celes, but if they're real they'll be worth a fortune!" His arms were laidened with the satchels and not only his possessions, but Celes' as well and she saw fit to try handing him one of her favorite momentos, a bouquet of silk roses Cyan made, which he was forced to hold in his teeth.  
  
"Take care guys!" She waved heading off the gangplank followed by the moogle, pushing past them and quickly becoming lost in the mass of brothers and sisters he had. He turned then and called "Umaro!!!"  
  
"Uhhhhaaauuu!!!" He moaned and jumped from the stern of the ship, and thudded in the middle of the mass of white teddy bear like creatures. Half of them fell over with an earth shaking thud, and Mog climbed atop his belly and gave him a hug.  
  
"My sasquatch!"  
  
Everyone laughed. Well, that was already 4 less of them, and Setzer turned to Gogo and asked politely, "Would you like to stay here in Narshe?"  
  
"No." came the gravid voice of the shrouded one, and he, or she, watched them depart.  
  
Rising up, Narshe disappeared into the mists of the mountains, and its own steam. Relm was enthusiastically calling and chanting her farewells and said "Invite me to the wedding!", though they were out of range. She already missed the little white fuzzy moogle with his pink bat wings and blue eyes, and Umaro, like a larger than life teddy bear.  
  
"The Veldt's not too far from here Gau, shall we make that our next stop?"  
  
Gau stooped, or rather, hanging half off the railing and looked at Setzer as if he still didn't understand much English. "Gau gau! Gau train monsters on Veldt!"  
  
"Figaro is also about the same distance from here."  
  
"I think that would be a fine idea Setzer, I miss my home, and we should get there before dark. I know! Since the sun's already setting, you shall be my guests! We'll have a feast in your honor!" Edgar said and slapped the nearest two people to him on the back, Sabin and Cyan, niether of whom budged foreward much at the unexpected slap. In fact, Edgar nearly winced in pain at the sting on his hands from Sabin's strong back and Cyan's armor.  
  
"Yes! A feast! Alright Old man! We're gonna' eat tonight!" Relm cried out and danced around the ship with Gau again. Wherever there was free food, you could easily spot the green haired boy of the veldt.  
  
"I am not an old man! I repeat, I am not an old man!" Strago scolded in a scratchy old whine of his. He whipped his cane about and struck the floor with the smaller end of it with a loud clap, then Setzer scowled at him, scolding not to damage his ship.  
  
"We have to get you prettied up!" Relm announced, grabing Gau's ponytail and started using a brush to break away crusts of dirt and filth and tangles, which was no easy task as Gau wanted to do anything but stay still. It was hard work, but fun to watch, met with ocassional laughter, the children both seeming oblivious to it.  
  
As predicted, the Ship approached Figaro Castle at the end of Day, fires were expectantly lit every day for the last weak, and blotted out all shadows, well, except one, standing on the ship's nose, his black shroud illuminated red-gold.  
  
A round of cheers went up as the gangplank hit the sandy desert floor. First off the ship were Relm and Gau, followed in succession, by their Captain Setzer, Terra, Celes, Locke, Strago, Cyan, Shadow, Cid, and Sabin. Sabin had a huge pack flung over his shoulder which he carried with him carelessly. He was Prince Sabin of Figaro, but then the crowd's shouts turned to confused murmurs as their king was not to be seen among them.  
  
He was below deck gathering his belongings and getting into his finest garbs. Among the mechanical oddities he brought back with them, was a crossbow, drill, chain-saw, air anchor, and an odd device called a camera. He had to replace something he called "Film", and most of his pictures, alive looking as anything Relm drew, were of monsters. These things made his pack oddly shaped to say the least.  
  
He packed into his duffel bag, a gray wig, for when he was in disguise, and the drab garments he'd worn with it. He also packed up a goldish glinting armor, but kept the wrist pieces out. Into it also went a spray gun filled with weed toxin, and a red spy glass.  
  
Edgar then looked in a mirror and brought out a comb. He undid his hair tie and combed his platinum gold tangles into straight and wavy mass. He then bound it again with a thin tie covered in beads of all colors, mostly royal blue and regal purple. He unbuttoned his shirt and removed it, then undid his sash and the tie on his pants, and brought them to his ankles. Starring at the half-length mirror he smiled, showing his pearly white teeth. If the king had any weakness, it was his vanity. He put on black silken trousers and newly shinned boots, they were strong, and durable, and lined with Rhabite fur. He tied the silk trousers and then over it, put on a silken shirt of tarnished gold with red ribbony designs along either side. Over this, he put on a gold breast plate that covered midway down his ribs. Over what was his waist, he put a deep red sash. Now the final touch, a deep blue cape , with a luminous pearly swathe of color washed over it from the wings of some of the larger bee-like insectoids that were now extinct.  
  
The King hoisted his oddly shaped duffel bag up on his shoulders, as his brother did, but clumsily, and nearly lost his balance. He then grabbed up another smaller pack, and headed toward the gangplank, after blowing the candles out in his room.  
  
At the top of the plank, he set down the smaller bag and waved to his people. "Citizens of Figaro Kingdom!" He bellowed, "We are free of Kefka's maddened tyranny! Free of Emperor Ghestal's thirst for power! And it is now, my people, that we can enjoy not only the liberation of Figaro, but of the world! In addition, I would like to also welcome my dear twin brother, Prince Sabin, back to the castle to help rule our fruitful desert kingdom!" And his short but eloquent speech won the cheers of the masses, and cast the limelight on Sabin, who had pulled the leg off some manner of bird at the feast, and had just sunk his teeth in for a massive bite. He nearly choked when Edgar called on him to say something.  
  
Well, at this time, while the crowd cheered or laughed at the prince, Edgar took the opportunity to walk down the gangplank with his two oddly bulging bags, and slip into the palace unnoticed. He soon joined the feast, and having acquired the manners the Returners often showed, he delved into his food as his brother had.  
  
The Chancellor at his side was shaking his head from side to side, "Your Majesty!" He argued, "You should be more civilized! What will your subjects think?"  
  
He swallowed a large gulp of red wine and wiped his mouth on his sleeve, and in a non-concerned tone replied, "That I'm human? Oh come now chancellor.... You know as well as anyone that the king is no god, nor do I believe I am. I am a man. I eat, sleep, drink, have bodily functions, urges, needs, as any man."  
  
"I don't care about your needs or wants Majesty. This is publicly unsuitable! And your so-called friends are animals!" As if on cue, Gau jumped up on the one of the spits and grabbed a half raw roasting beast and started to eat it.  
  
Edgar Roni Figaro merely laughed and gestured his hand foreword flicking it off as if it were nothing, "Well you should, it's a festive occasion you know Chancellor, we're supposed to be merry-making, not fussing about appearances. Everyone's happy but you you old sour puss." He took a bite of meat, a mouthful of potatoes, and the chancellor was at least glad he chewed before swallowing. "You should be glad we already dropped off Locke, Umaro, and Mog then." he said, waving a monstrous wing around then bringing it to his lips, making a pleased sound at how juicy the meat was, yet with a flaky breaded skin.  
  
"Majesty! Th... those beasts!?" His glasses nearly fell off the end of his nose at that statement. Images of Umaro digging into a raw beast twice the size of the one Gau dismantled, entered his head and disturbed him greatly. For that matter, Mog dancing on the table, or the "treasure hunter" Locke, robbing the guests blind haunted him the rest of the night.  
  
"Wonderful food! Double the chef's salary!" He ordered and then yelled "Pass the cranberry sauce!" He seemed to ignore the Chancellor's bellows the rest of the evening, laughing and talking with his companions about old times between bites.  
  
Terra was nibbling at some steak and sipping a glass of wine, she also had a bit of a salad and a bowl of vegetable soup in some sort of monster broth. Rhobite, she thought, they were common a ways north before, and still were. There was dancing later on, and both Cyan and Edgar had her hand.  
  
Shadow stood up, not sitting, and didn't go for any of the food really. He speared a steak with his knife for the young Lady Relm, but aside that, he didn't appear to take food. In reality, he did, a sizable meal at that, but he would slink off into the shadows to eat it, so no one realized it, or he, were ever gone. Some of the meat, he stole away inside, and smoked it to jerky cuts for travel. He'd never take off his mask, and never had before his friends. Friends? Parteners... He only cared for Interceptor's company, but the dog wasn't hungry, having accepted Relm's hospitality.  
  
"Hello old friend." The first words he'd spoken all night, and pet the dog's head. "You remember don't you? Why I left?" as if it could respond to him, but the mostly black dog with brown paws and muzzle seemed to have a mutual understanding with the darkly clad ninja and barked. "Good." He closed his eyes, and sat back in a cold part of the castle till' dawn.  
  
The normally burning desert was always cold at night, but the masses of people and fires on Figaro's doorstep made it seem much warmer. The night sky was blue to black, specked with a million stars and fresh air. From above the castle, it was a red sparkle in a sea of deep blue, and had the falcon been afloat, it would have seen it that way, a ray of warmth in a sea of night's bitter cold. 


	3. Final Fantasy Aftermath: Moving On

Notes: Final Fantasy is my favorite RPG Series, but I felt that the only thing FFVI didn't have was an adequate ending... FFIV showed what happened to the lead characters at least - wedding! This is my version of what happened. All FF chars are Â© of SquareSoft. Music by Nobou Uematsu is stupendous.  
  
Chapter 2: Moving on  
  
The morning came, and the gang of ex-Returners awoke to the blaze of a desert's harsh sun. Edgar Roni was the first up, despite a slight headache, for the Chancellor was already yelling manners at him. Sabin was the next up, and first to the bathroom, the hangover was worse than he expected. Relm was painting the desert outside and the sun behind the airship. She even got Cid and Setzer into the shot as they paused to talk. She almost included a cartoon bubble saying "No! No! No! It's my airship!" as they were obviously talking about its fate, and Setzer, the normally pale faced man, was red hot as the desert.  
  
All in all, it was a good morning, in fact, it was a great day. Setzer decided this was due to the lack of wind for takeoff, but the feast had a lot to do with today's spirits.  
  
Cyan and Edgar had an announcement to make before the lazy masses, still recovering from the feast. "Citizens of Figaro! It is my honor to announce the new Captain of the guards and my retainer, Sir Cyan of Doma!" The people were too full to make half the roar as last night, and he patted Cyan on the back "Welcome aboard!"  
  
"It is nothing your Majesty." Cyan bowed to Edgar, "I have already been at thy service, and I fear I would be out of place returning to the skeleton of my old castle. I can honour my wife and child best, by keeping thy friends close at hand." He extended his hand which Edgar, after a mock puzzled shrug, took it gladly.  
  
"And I would also like to have a new Chief technician if possible?" He queried Cid, cloaked in yellow. He'd not stayed at Narshe with Celes, who called him grandpa, so he really had no place but that dreadful triangle Island south west of Albrook.  
  
"Wh.. well... Thank you! Thank you!" the wrinkly old man smiled, he wasn't that old yet though, his mustache still brown.  
  
"Good!"  
  
Well, there's another four gone, and the airship loaded up. They were looking around for Shadow, but he was already on board.  
  
"We're wasting time here" He announced.  
  
"Oh yeah?" Setzer laughed. "And what time is there to waste? Kefka is gone, boom bang, outta' here!" He smiled and took the wheel.  
  
Shadow just stayed silent...  
  
Relm and Gau were still chasing each other and there were much fewer of them now. Terra sighed looking over the railing, it was such a beautiful view, she smiled inwardly and decided to enjoy it. Mobliz was their next stop, a village that had been half destroyed, it was here, she became serrogant mother to a bunch of orphaned children, and a child had been born to the only adult couple still alive, Katrin and Duane. She would love to stay there, or maybe not... If she stayed in Thamasa though, they knew magic. Yes, I'll just settle in Mobliz, she thought, it was quiet and she could think there.  
  
They landed about mid day, and Relm and Gau played with the children there for a few hours. There wasn't much of a lunch, but by early evening, the ship was prepared to take off. They said their good byes, "Take care Relm! Bye Gau! Don't hustle people's money Setzer! Good bye Old Man!" Terra called, and was received by the cheers.  
  
The ship seemed bigger now... only a few of them left. Terra forgot to say good bye to shadow. For some reason, now, he let down his mouth guard, he had a regal nose, lithe lips, and a rounded chin to a gaunt face, but no one could see that. He was eating on the port side, looking at the skyline. In fact, he had gold-yellow eyes like Relm's, but they were always so hidden, they appeared black.  
  
The Veldt was their next stop, no mistaking. Gau was going to try and approach his crazy father, and then become a monster trainer on the veldt. Shadow did not expect there would be anything of a meal at his stop, which was fast approaching as the setting sun. It seemed to depress the man, though no one could see it.  
  
His attention turned to his hoarded food, and speared a piece of meat with a dagger, and ripped at it with his teeth. Shadow's fingertips were thin and nimble, and they snatched a piece of dried fruit quickly to his lips. They were also cold fingers, and he thought, no... don't go there.  
  
He was a man, and despite his chosen way of life, he lamented the past. He was a thief, a crook, not unlike Locke. 'Baram they called me', and Clyde was his partener. In all his theiving days, he was the best. Then they made their greatest caper... stealing a million gold from a train.  
  
In those days, there were fewer monsters, so when they hid their treaure, they didn't expect to be attacked. An Antlion had appeared from the sand. Striker clenched to his side, they fought together and won, if you could call it that. Horrendously bleeding, they were persued by Imperial troops. Clyde asked for death, but Baram could not go through with it... weak he was called...  
  
The next thing he remembered was being braced against a tree in a strange village. "This is Thamasa" a woman told him and to follow her...  
  
Before the thought could be pursued further, he sensed Relm's spirited presence coming toward him. He stuffed a dried turnip slice in his mouth, then recovered his face mask. She gave him a hug for no apparent reason, and for a moment he considered returning it.  
  
"We're almost there!" She cried and ran again about the deck. Shadow gathered up his small pack of food and another bag. This satchel was filled with a couple spare ninja suits, various throwing weapons, and a modest amount of money. He took them into the belly of the ship and hid them, and then returned on deck, seeing the brightly clad Gogo being caught between the two spirited children.  
  
"We're going to the veldt! We're going to the veldt!" They both shouted and laughed.  
  
"Gau gau! I go home!" the youth smiled and perched himself on the rail, much more like an ape than a human. His green hair flowed in the wind and fuzzed out, filled with tangles. He still wasn't very civilized. but at least he was clean. He had a shawl of a spotted feline's hide about his neck and shoulders, with a tooth for a pin. About his waist was a leather belt they'd bought for him some time ago along with his green baggy pants, but he still refused to wear shoes. He had taken a liking to sparkling things, so he had an assortment of bracers and charms packed up, but other than that, the lanky teen was still a wild boy. It didn't seem to bother him that home would mean very little human contact, but he did enjoy Relm's company. The young girl had as much of a fire in her as he did.  
  
Setzer was the only one left to encourage their high spirits and energy, as Gogo and Shadow stood mute at their antics. "Yes yes! We're almost there!"  
  
"Gau! Gau gau! I will give you a feast! Have food! Know where to find!" He laughed and swung upside down from a pole.  
  
"Thanks Gau, but we should just go on and take... Shadow and Gogo... home. Hey! You two never said where you were staying."  
  
Shadow remained mute, while Gogo opened his/her mouth, "I will wait for you to drop off Strago and Relm first."  
  
"Aww!" Relm protested.  
  
"Gau! Nonsense! You stay on veldt night! I give meal! We have fun and sing! We dance and play!" he smiled broadly.  
  
"Alright, but I'm gambling my stomach here Gau!"  
  
A few minutes later the ship landed on the veldt. The gangplank lowered, and they all surveyed the grasslands before them. In it, a few bushes and trees were scattered sparsely. This place was a monster magnet, and it's only town now lay on another continent entirely. The amazing thing was the assortment of beasts, strong or weak, and what was left of the crew stayed in armor with weapons ready. Well, except Gau, this was his home, and he went straight away up to a Rhinox and gave it a tight squeeze.  
  
Gau looked around and called out a loud howl, and cupped his hands around his mouth like a megaphone. "Imps come! Come one come all! Imps! Imps! To me! Gau Gau!" he cried.  
  
"Gwa!" Setzer yelled and hopped into Gogo's shrouded arms.  
  
'It' gave him a straight look, and said dryly, "Why Setzer, I didn't know you cared."  
  
"Uh...!" Setzer let go of the ragged creature and Gogo let go of him. He smacked the ground, "Umph" and looked about him.  
  
Sure enough, a bunch of Imps had surfaced, green colored, most of them bald, and swarming around their guests. "Gau gau!"  
  
One of the imps approached Setzer and looked the pale faced man over, taking interest in his cloak and pinching the fabric. "Hey! Stop that!" He muttered, "Rude little imps."  
  
"Hmm! Like the material. What is it? Looks like... nah."  
  
"What!?!"  
  
"You heard me."  
  
Setzer looked like he was about to leap out of his skin. An imp! An Imp, of all things, was interested in his cloak, and beyond that, he'd never heard an imp speak! Gogo politely backed out of the way of the roving imps, while Shadow stood silently, as the imps encircled him, arms folded across his chest. He was not about to move for imps, or give them the satisfaction of getting a response out of him.  
  
Gau laughed and rolled around in the dirt with a smaller imp until finally explaining what this was. "This Gau family! Raise when baby! Then Gau grow, be friend of monsters. Live with monsters. Eat with monsters. Imp teach monster speak."  
  
"Oh... that explains it! I dare-say, I don't think the odds are in favor of an abandoned baby on the veldt, even if simple Leafers found you."  
  
"Ha!" cried an imp, he was bigger and fatter than most, with feathers all about his garb and in a wreath on his bald head. "Gau comes back to us! And with the terrible strangers who killed Kefka!" it announced.  
  
This was all very strange, but Gogo and Shadow could grasp what was said. "So you raised the boy until he could fend for himself... why may I ask?" Shadow said coolly. Relm and Strago had gotten to the veldt, and already Relm liked the imps like she did the pudgy little moogles.  
  
"The dwarves told us to."  
  
"There's no such thing."  
  
"There used to be. And do we Imps not exist because you have never beheld one till this day? Long ago, before the battle of Zeromus and the Whale, that is when dwarves lived!"  
  
"And that is a story too." Added the usually silent Gogo, who was even less vocal than Shadow.  
  
"No. No. We imps know. Our great ancestor was defeated by the crew of the Whale"  
  
"Crew?" Setzer inquired.  
  
"Yes. But we will speak of that when we eat. I am Dromo! The Great Imp of the Veldt! Descendant of the Trickster Imp of the magnetic cave!" He bowed, and the Returners looked to each other, puzzled, save only Relm and Gau who didn't care anything about it.  
  
In an hour or two's time, the imps had brought meat, vegetables, and an assortment of various food for a feast. This was Gau's big feast he'd been talking about. Well, they brought the food, but they used furnishings of the Falcon to eat it on. The imps had very bad table manners, and some belched periodically, but it was a much better spread than anticipated. After all, no one had anticipated the involvement of imps in this 'adventure' to Gau's home.  
  
"So tell us about the whale will you? And what you mean about dwarves?" Setzer put in about half way through his second plate of food and glass of stolen wine.  
  
"Ahem. Well, where to start? I'll just abbreviate the battle of Zeromus vs. the Whale then. It all started with crystals then. I suppose now, that they were a form of magicite, but then Espers were called by a different name, they were monsters, plain and simple." he paused, taking a bite of food as only a hungry fat imp can. "The world had two levels, the over world, and the underworld." It sounded something like textbook history at the moment, and with daylight waned on long ago, everyone left struggled to keep conscious, even with the feast. "In the Over World, a dark knight from the kingdom of Baron, for which Baron falls are named, there were 4, or was it 5? crystals. These crystals each held the powers of the elements, Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water, ahh yes, four then. The Underworld had the dark crystals. One was in possession of the Dwarf King.  
  
Golbez was their Kefka then, an evil being, and was unwittingly, controlled by a greater force of evil, Zeromus. Or should I compare Golbez more to the late Emperor Ghestal? Anyhow, you have all heard tell of Zeromus' battle against the Whale, but I should say, it was a Metal whale."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You heard me. But that's not relevant now. I will tell you of the heroes of old. Cecil the Paladin, Rosa the white mage, Cid the Engineer," and he grabbed everyone's attention with the last name," Palom and Porom the twin mages, Tella the Sage, and most important to me, Rydia the Monster woman." He paused awaiting reaction, but getting none, he continued, "There were more too, Edgar Figaro's Ancestor, Edward the Prince, who had the Wind Crystal. He too, ruled a desert kingdom. And there was a ninja among them, Edge, and a fighter much like Sabin, named Yang."  
  
"How long ago was this?"  
  
"The war of the Magi, surely you heard of it?" Everyone nodded. "Well anyhow, like today there were Chocobo, and I think, Moogles existed too, but I can not be sure. Well, then, magic was so rich and easy to come by, one need not draw it from monsters! There was a village named Mysidia, where the greatest magical humans came from. I would say, those would be Relm and Strago's anscestors.  
  
"And, back then, there was a special place for Monsters. This place was supposedly underwater, and Leviathan guarded it. A little girl named Rydia fell into the monster world, and there she grew at accelerated rate. She was referred to as a 'Caller' from the city of Mist. Let me explain, that they had wonderful human-monster relations, so strong, that if the monster were to be killed, the human most attached to it would also perish! Her mother was tied into the life of a Mist Dragon, and so, when Cecil the dark Knight killed it, Rydia's mother died too."  
  
"No! How dreadful! But I thought you said Cecil was a Paladin!" Relm exclaimed.  
  
"Yes, but at the beginning of his journey with his good friend Kain, he was a Dark Knight, and Captain of the Red fleet of Airships to conquer the world."  
  
"Airships?" Setzer was again curious.  
  
"Yes. So anyhow, the caller girl was special, but her growth in the Land of Monsters, had taken her ability to use 'pearl' or 'white' magic. When Zeromus was defeated, She returned to the Land of Monsters, and her power grew. She had green hair, like young Gau here. The dwarves told my ancestor to guard the young girl and her heirs, for monsters would not be long for this world. And through the generations, we watched. Gau is the first of her descendants in 6 generations to be able to bond with monsters."  
  
"So he's special eh?"  
  
The imp nodded. "Espers and People have had a bad relationship because of normal, brainless or greedy monsters. Imps have a reputation for being tricksters. But Rydia lived her life peacefully among monsters, and always dreamt that it would again, come to pass. So, when the old man saw the 'monster' spirit in his son, and his mother did die birthing him, we went to the green haired youth's aid. We soon found he could be a monster caller. Since Mist has been gone so long, and him the only heir, we don't know how to teach him to call monsters, but he imitates them well."  
  
"Gau gau!" And with that, he imitated a nearby Cactorot.  
  
"So that's the deal eh? Are there any airships from then still in existence?" Setzer said, leaning over the table.  
  
"No, there are no more airships I know of, and that about sums it up. If Gau can learn to 'call' though, that will be something. You know, it's no coincidence he can communicate with monsters? I forgot to mention, that Rydia's mate was a monster."  
  
"Whoa! Sorta sounds like Ms. Terra!" Relm called energetically, "Can he call Espers?!"  
  
"Well... I suppose..... it might be possible." he mused.  
  
"We shouldn't mention that to Ms. Terra Relm... so don't think about it." Strago said in his elderly but strong voice.  
  
"Aww! But Old Man! If Gau can Call Monsters, then Terra can see her dad again!"  
  
"No! Don't you say anything to her about it. If Gau can't call Espers, then Terra will be crushed!"  
  
Relm Pouted. She couldn't Protest, and in the morning, the ship took flight. After Strago and Relm, it would be Gogo and Shadow. At each departure, the ship felt more and more like it were possessed of a ghost. The same sort of feeling as the day they had found her in Daryl's Tomb. 


	4. Final Fantasy Aftermath:  Gambling the F...

Notes: Final Fantasy is my favorite RPG Series, but I felt that the only thing FFVI didn't have was an adequate ending... FFIV showed what happened to the lead characters at least - wedding! This is my version of what happened. All FF chars are Â© of SquareSoft. Music by Nobou Uematsu is stupendous.  
  
Chapter 3:  
  
Gambling the Future  
  
The ship landed in Thamasa in time for breakfast, since they took off at night. since no one wanted to stay on the Veldt overnight except for Relm and Gau. She was sort of mad at Setzer for leaving like that, but instead, she bickered with "gramps".  
  
"I've been away from home much too long young girl!" Strago glared at Relm. "What were you thinking of!?! There was no reason for us to come along in the first place! You should know better!"  
  
"But grandpa!" Relm cried.  
  
"But nothing!"  
  
Setzer whispered to Gogo, as they were guests in his home for now, "Will they ever stop that?"  
  
"Odds say not, Setzer, though he is right." Said Gogo in hushed tones. For once, the shrouded one seemed mildly amused.  
  
"You still haven't told me what your ultimate destination is."  
  
"I'll tell you when I'm ready."  
  
Shadow was nearby, everybody could sense that, and after he'd heard the fighting go on way past what was due, he intervened. "This is not getting breakfast done any sooner, or should I say, lunch?"  
  
"I know it's lunch time!" Strago snorted trying to sound as mature and reasonable as possible, only to make everyone believe he was trying to match wits with the 10 year old Relm. 11 years now really, and Strago, however old he was, was starting to get senile.  
  
"Then, where is lunch?"  
  
".... Blast it! See what you made me do now Relm!? That's not the first breakfast we've missed thanks to you! Start the stove and cook the.... the...."  
  
"What ever's in the box with the ice rods?" Relm smiled cheerily as if everything he'd bellowed at her had wistfully gone out of her head already.  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"What do we say Grandpa?"  
  
" What!?"  
  
She smiled, "What do we say?"  
  
"Oh... that!" Strago said, suddenly remembering his own manners, "Please get lunch ready for me and our guests, will you Relm?"  
  
"Of course!" she bowed and then dashed around the kitchen crazily, getting things ready.  
  
"Ahh that girl!" He turned to his guests, realizing they had been standing the whole time, "My word! Please sit down! I'm so terribly sorry!"  
  
"It's okay, we're still used to standing from our adventures, you remember, old... Strago." Setzer said taking his seat while the others too, seated themselves, except Shadow, who's dog sat in his chair instead.  
  
"It's no excuse for forgetting my own manners! What is this now!? A dog that wants to sit at the table like a human being? I may be getting old, but I am not blind! Shoe!" The dog wouldn't move for him. "Come on now! I said beat it!" Strago expected to be the final authority on everything, in a sense he was, the last authority if no one else spoke up. "Dog! Get out! Go! Scat!" Strago tried everything he could think of, but trying to forcibly move the animal, Interceptor's vicious growl, steered his hand away. Then Shadow gave the dog a look, and he fled as if a thousand ticks and fleas had leapt from his gaze to the animal's furry hide. "Ha ha! I told you I could move him!" He said triumphantly, taking Shadow's credit.  
  
He couldn't understand it when everybody laughed, with the usual exclusion of Shadow. They soon sat down to a fine meal and began discussing plans to embark on the true final voyage of the Falcon.  
  
"And after I've parked it there in Daryl's tomb, that is where it will stay." Setzer said, "From there, Kohlingen is only a couple hour's walk."  
  
"And the Colosseum's only a day's hike by Chocobo from there." Gogo put in.  
  
"Well yes, if I was going to go there."  
  
"If you say?" Gogo laughed. Gravid as its voice was, he or she had a sense of humor. Setzer always had suspicions Gogo was some sort of monster, but never dared ruin his/her's surprise. He wouldn't gamble how long he had to live if he did force those rags off Gogo's head. "If you ever give up gambling, I'll toss off my rags so you can see my face! But it's not likely you can go even 24 hours without betting on something!"  
  
"Bet I can."  
  
"See what I mean?" Gogo smiled invisibly, and even shadow had to laugh.  
  
"You tricked me!"  
  
"Well you fell for it hotshot." No one had ever infuriated Setzer the way Gogo had accept for.... nah... couldn't be.  
  
"Well, aside this one bet, could we have a little challenge here?"  
  
"Challenge is it? A rose by any other name... a gamble by any other name, would still be your bet." Gogo said calmly in even tones, but betting seemed to even appeal to this shrouded one. At least, this proposition was intriguing.  
  
"Yeah, well how about it? I won't go just a day without gambling, but a week at the Colosseum! And if I last that long, there, without placing a single bet or even stating a wager, you show me who's under that butt-ugly mask?"  
  
"Oh ho ho! You have guts! Spirit! Real spirit, but you know you'll get in trouble, I know you will."  
  
"Is it a deal?" No one believed he was serious about this bet except for Gogo who seemed to rise to the offered challenge.  
  
"What are the stakes should I win? You would get the satisfaction of knowing what and who I am, at least visually, but what is in it for me? What have I to gain?"  
  
"Name the price" He said with his cocky smile.  
  
"Anything I chose?"  
  
"Anything."  
  
"....Alright... you accept that agreement? I get Anything I want from you? Anything at all? Anything I name no matter what?" Gogo's tone of voice was rising, and he/she stood up, an apparently intimidating form, despite the bright colors of his/her garb's many silken cloths with everything from abstract shapes to solid colors, roses, stripes, and so on. Now, more than ever, the towering figure looked like Shadow hit a carnival wagon head on. Like the brightest butterflies, its clothes became like a warning.  
  
"Yes." Setzer found himself saying, though he was feeling quite small at this moment, struggling to keep his alarm down, and his pants dry.  
  
"Then it's a deal we have?" Gogo closed its eyes a minute as if reflecting on the bargain.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Strago, get me some paper. Relm, get me one of your drawing implements. I want this in writing." Gogo was truly dead serious about this bet, and within 5 minutes they had the agreement on paper and a copy, ready to be signed. But Gogo did not just settle for a simple signature, even if it was signed by them both. Gogo required this deal to be signed in blood. "Shadow, give me your knife!" Shadow did so without hesitation, while the others stared wide eyed in amazement.  
  
"You're crazy!" Setzer announced, half out of his chair.  
  
"No I'm not. I want to make sure this is one deal that is so mutual, you can not escape it." Gogo said pricking its index finger and pressing the droplet of blood to both sheets of paper, then handing the knife to Setzer. "Show me you're serious you cowardly charlatan."  
  
Setzer was over his fright, and was seriously starting to get mad about now, and the way he signed it was as much as a point that he was not a coward as to seal a bet. "There! Signed! I am no coward! And I will look forward to see your rat of a face Gogo.... This is a bet I fully intend to win! And if anyone is a charlatan, it is you my friend. At least Shadow has the excuse of being a Ninja to hide his face!"  
  
Again, Gogo seemed to turn amused at the gambler and laughed. "Oh Setzer, intentions are not enough in this game. And you know my rules. I will be at your side every minute of the day Setzer Gabiani. One week, you will have no freedom, no privacy. I will never sleep during that time at the Colosseum, and should I hear one word from you that sounds like a bet, I will take what is mine, by right of our contract, sealed in blood." Gogo sounded threatening and angry, a far cry from the Gogo they met in the cave. While that Gogo was a mystery, he did not seem quite so malicious and assertive, usually just mirroring people and hanging back in battle. But now that that was all over, perhaps Gogo's true nature was surfacing? The provoking, driving, ominous Gogo seemed to be aimed purely at poor Setzer, while Gogo had never seemed bothered by the man before. And the person that Gogo was, was gentle to Relm, who it seemed to be perfectly gentle with.  
  
"Now that that's settle, it is clear I shall be traveling with our Gambler here for a while. Shall we depart?" Gogo said, settling back to his laid-back persona, seeming to be in no hurry now that the contract was signed.  
  
"Well, that depends on our friend Shadow. Where is he heading?" Setzer cast a curious glance where the ninja was previously standing, but he was gone now. "Lovely, just lovely."  
  
"It's no use going after him now, he'll return when he wants." Gogo stated matter-of-factly, and settled down in a heap in the chair. He or she, looked like clean laundry someone had forgotten to fold up and left as a gigantic heap on the floor, as his robes also made the chair disappear that you could not tell if Gogo was standing or sitting.  
  
Setzer shook his head, "Oh well, I have a couple things to prepare on the falcon. I'll just see to that for now. If he shows up, please send him to the Falcon. I'll be back in an hour. Don't forget where I parked." He smiled, cheering himself up a bit and excusing himself from the table. Strago nodded to him and he exited the quaint cottage. Relm missed the contract signing, as she was, and still was, playing with Shadow's dog. How that anti-social mutt obeyed her was beyond Setzer's grasp and at the moment, he didn't care to think about it.  
  
He paused in front of his wood, metal, and cloth beauty, marveling at her. He was dwarfed by the massive vessel, his white hair flowing like a river behind him. He looked up at the ship, and felt saddened. He was remembering something, but shook himself to his senses, as open sentiment was not his style, and walked the gangplank to the belly of the ship.  
  
It wasn't his ship, but it always had been. He sat down on a chair in front of a blackjack table. Gambling, all his life was gambling. He had only once met a person so gung-ho about gambling as he was, and she... she was gone now. This was her ship, and the emptier it got, the more he felt he'd lost it.  
  
"Daryl..." He closed his eyes and brought a glass of some liquid to its lips. The fluid soothed his white lithe lips very little, but after a few glasses, it reddened his pale cheeks and gave him some warmth. But in a drunken stupor, that would be little comfort. For some reason, the liquor brought more memories than it dulled. hen he collapsed to the table, the crystal goblet clinking the table and spilling what was left of its fill, while a wine soaked card was under his other hand, symbolically, it was the Queen of Hearts.  
  
"You're the queen of hearts babe." The pale faced man said to the woman before him.  
  
She was smaller than him with wavy blonde hair, and such a delicate frame, one might be afraid to hug her, for fear she'd fall apart. But he put his arms around her and held her close, smiling at the treasure he'd found. "As long as I'm with you, my luck will never run out."  
  
They were standing on the bow of a ship. It was the Enterprize. "You think this hunk of wood's going to fly Setzer!?" She said. She was the same girl, but not so apparently fragile, clad in cotton-like blouse and dennum pants. She had black boots, and other various accessories that separated her from a normal dressed woman, no skirts or dresses for her. But either way she was beautiful to him.  
  
He gave the kind of sigh a lovesick puppy does, and smiled at her kindly, "Yes Daryl, it's been done before. In the steam technology they've been recovering, this is some of the best of what they've found. And with a little luck, I may even get her to go fast."  
  
She laughed, "Things are fast enough now dear, what with Emperor Baron's latest strange orders. I mean, if they saw a ship fly, they'd mess their pants!"  
  
Sezter's turn to laugh and he embraced her as before, "Don't worry Daryl. How did I get lucky enough to meet someone like you?"  
  
"We met before remember?"  
  
"Remind me." He said in a tender voice, burying his nose and part of his cheek in golden strands of her hair. She smelled of lavender.  
  
"We were children then. In Kohlingen. I remember a little white haired kid who bet he could climb the highest tree." She grinned. "He did at that, but getting down was the hard part." She kissed his chin and chuckled, "From that day on he had a few scars from the fall on his chin. In the same places as you my friend."  
  
"Oh yes," He said with a sheepish smile, "It was one of the first bets I made."  
  
"And not the last. But please, promise me something Setzer."  
  
"Hmmmm?"  
  
"Never gamble with your life, please? For me?" She was irresistible. Setzer's conscious mind wondered why he ever denied that promise.  
  
"I bet my Falcon can beat your Enterprize!"  
  
"DARYL!" His mind screamed out in vain. "I never wanted to gamble your life..."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 4:  
  
Going Home Stranger?  
  
Strago knew just where to find Shadow for some reason. "Hey there stranger!" Strago shouted, joining the shadowed man on the roof.  
  
"..."  
  
"Setzer wanted to know where you were going." Strago said in about the most polite tone he had, which had the indignity of age. I mean indignity that comes from feeling bitter about being ignored. Of course, the truth was that he loved Relm and would do anything to protect her, and no matter what, that filled his spirit. Why did he fight for the world? It was easy, he had someone he loved in it.  
  
"Does it look like I'm going anywhere?"  
  
"Well, now that you mention it, it looks like you're just standing around." He looked down to see Relm, still playing with the dog, her energy seemed infinite. "I wish I had her energy at my age."  
  
He turned his head to the old man for a minute, then again faced the horizon, his view only interrupted by the top of the Falcon. It was a clear day with only a few misty elongated clouds in the sky. "Always moving," he said softly, "if imperceptibly."  
  
"Oh? Well yeah, you're right. What trees are here seem to have gotten bigger, and those clouds wasn't there the other day. And the sun wasn't shinin' down on my hot old neck like it is now, at One o' clock." he said, showing he had some concept of reality.  
  
"And us. Growing. Never younger. Relm has grown. In mental bounds this last year, and physically since...." he trailed off. He relaxed his hands to his side for a change, and closed his eyes to appear meditative rather than regretful.  
  
"You been here before Shadow?"  
  
"Yes, I came here with--"  
  
"No, I don't mean before you saved my grand-daughter's life. I meant, like some time long before this."  
  
"...No." He put in after a minute's thought. Trying to start a lasting conversation with a ninja was more difficult than trying to kill a Chupon. "What happened to her mother?"  
  
"My daughter?" He said slightly surprised, greeted with a nod. "Well.... I didn't expect you to ask about that, but she's dead now, has been for about half of Relm's life."  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"Buried in the graveyard." He shrugged, "I don't visit her grave much. You can see so much of her mother in her, Relm that is, I hardly think I need to."  
  
"She's a pretty child, you should be proud." He said in an unemotional tone, "She's a good fighter too, but she still needs discipline." He added that as a professional note.  
  
"Well, she doesn't like to listen to me. Not since her mom died."  
  
"Understandable."  
  
"She learned to paint from her mom. You know how she makes monster paintings come to life?"  
  
"I've seen the phenomenon."  
  
"Yes, well... She needs to see the subject personally to do that. She learned that trick too, for her mother."  
  
"For her?"  
  
"Yes. She wanted to paint the best portrait of her mom, so she could come to life and we could be a family again. She doesn't remember what her dad looks like, he left town when she was about a year old."  
  
"You can't bring back the dead." He stated, but inside, he was holding back tears.  
  
"If anybody could do it, she would have." Strago sighed.  
  
"...A shame she didn't."  
  
"Yea, well, can't do anything about that for her now. I've cared for her since my daughter died, but it may have been harder for her not having a father."  
  
".... What happened to him? Why did he leave?"  
  
"He wasn't a rich man, had no past you could say. He went out to find himself, and for fortune, so his wife and child could live a good life. He never came back though." Strago sighed, "I half regret ever letting those two wed."  
  
"He dishonored her."  
  
"No... He didn't dishonor her, until the day he left."  
  
Strago was quiet a while, "So where's our Captain, Setzer?"  
  
"On board the ship. He told me to tell you to head there if I found ya', which I did." Shadow nodded.  
  
"Setzer and Relm's father are cut from the same cloth."  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"Neither one can settle down, and care more for themselves than the love of others."  
  
"You don't know that."  
  
"Maybe Setzer cared for Daryl more than all his gambling and money, but in the end, his gambling caught up with him. His luck ran out when Daryl died." He said arching a brow. "If Relm's father's alive, then he's a bigger coward than Gogo said Setzer was. Hmmph, indeed. At least Setzer had the guts to go to Daryl's tomb! In all my years of raising Relm alone, I have never once, seen her father even come to check on her growth!"  
  
"Maybe he couldn't come back." Shadow was growing angry inside from the old man's assessment of Relm's father. He knew how a man could be held back.  
  
"Oh yes, well, any reason he could find is just an excuse. Really. How can a man who claims to love his family stay away so many years without word?"  
  
"A journey may take far longer than one expects when his foot takes the first step from home. Look at us. We never expected to be saviors of the world, but here we are. How many places I would have never gone..."  
  
"Yea, but I never wanted Relm on that journey. Bah! If it were up to me, I would have kept her here safe and sound and gone myself to save the planet!"  
  
"But then you would have abandoned her like her father."  
  
"Blast it all... you tricked me!"  
  
In Shadow's silent reply, there was a smile. "I should go now." With that he slipped away to the Falcon so that no one noticed him. Well, Interceptor knew, but Shadow was going to leave the dog with her.  
  
"He's wasted!" Strago announced after Shadow brought the slumbering gambler to their attention. "He won't wake up for a couple hours, and even then, he'll have one whopper of a hang-over!"  
  
"Eww! Setzer's been drinking! Ick!" Relm said, cleaning up the table he'd fallen over on.  
  
Gogo chuckled, "I sort of expected that."  
  
"And how'd you deduct that my dear Gogo?" Strago said, maneuvering the man onto a bunk with Shadow's help. Well, largely shadow's doing, but could that stop Strago from claiming his youthful vitality? Of course not.  
  
"Oh, call it a hunch. Like so many of his bets."  
  
"You seem to have taken quite an interest in his gambling, any particular reason?"  
  
"Though it may not seem it, I have my own motives for taking interest in people. I'm more than a casual observer."  
  
"Apparently. You know, you are as much of an enigma as our friend Shadow?"  
  
"Of that, I am quite aware."  
  
"As soon as I'm... home.... I will disappear, and you will never hear of Shadow again." The ninja put in, with a hint of disgust for Setzer.  
  
"Who is Shadow? What is he like? They ask me the same ninja." Shadow nodded. "One must wonder why we act the way we do, apart from others." Again, he nodded. "And where you are from?"  
  
"Was that a question?"  
  
"We are strangers Shadow. With Mog, they knew he was from Narshe and has a family. We know Umaro is a Sasquatch who likes bone art. We know Terra is half esper, robbed of her childhood. We know Setzer is a gambler who had a love named Daryl. Locke was a no-name thief from a small town that got recognition for its mines above its alliance with the Returners. The brothers Figaro are easy to figure. Even Strago, the man with a thousand regrets of what he could have done, and Relm, the little girl who paints." And he motioned for the two to exit, which they did, since it was obvious there was a point being led up to, and Gogo's strange behavior could mean anything. "But what about us?"  
  
"What about it?"  
  
"You and I have no past, no stock in anything. You have a dog. That's all." The two strangers locked eyes, and for a minute, shadow felt uncomfortably afraid. "I can scare a ninja. Because a ninja will not face who he is."  
  
"And you don't? Why don't you ever take of your mask? Are you male or female? Man or beast?"  
  
"You propose a trade?"  
  
"Trade?"  
  
"My life for your life. An exchange of autobiographies and... take the masks off."  
  
Shadow raised a brow, "And you think I'm curious to want to know? Why should I be?"  
  
"Because I've never had someone to tell. To release all that is inside of me, which I warn is both terrible and tragic. Now that the war is over, I have no more reason to live than I did before, and you either I presume. You and I are are the same Shadow, and we could understand it all."  
  
"Is that all? I wouldn't be interested in hearing your story."  
  
"That wouldn't matter."  
  
"Then what's the point?"  
  
"Surely you've wanted to speak up, to say to someone 'I'm here', that you're alive. I convince myself every day that I am alive, but the more I wear these coverings, the more these coverings wear me."  
  
Shadow almost felt his heart stop, and he thought about it. Long and hard he thought about the proposal, before opening his mouth. "The truth isn't pretty... I can barely face my own, let alone yours."  
  
"We have to, soon. We have to Shadow. The only war left is within, and supporting each other, we could win more easily. We are the only enigmas, we should at least know ourselves."  
  
Shadow nodded lightly, and they went into the ship's engine room.  
  
Night was fast approaching, and Setzer had only just recovered his wits. He wondered where everyone was, then Shadow came out of the darkness.  
  
"Ahh!" He fell out of his bed and got back to his feet. "Don't do that! Again!"  
  
"..."  
  
"So, what do you want?"  
  
"I... want to go home...."  
  
"Home?!" Setzer was surprised, he'd figured he would be almost to the Colosseum, when Shadow would say 'turn the ship around, drop me off in that town' a continent away, "Where's that?"  
  
"...Here."  
  
"Here? The ship?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Thamasa?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Setzer rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, then made a gesture to his ear, "Correct me if I'm wrong, you said here? As in Thamasa?" Shadow nodded. "But we're in Thamasa!"  
  
"I need to go somewhere first."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Zozo."  
  
Setzer groaned, "Well hey, if you want to mix with the thugs, far be it for me to stop you. We'll leave tomorrow."  
  
  
  
Chapter 5:  
  
Sweet Dreams  
  
Sleep came uneasily for Setzer that night. He felt as though Gogo were watching his every move, though the robed figure stayed by the fire idly poking at the burning contents. It was anyone's guess as to what Shadow was up to, and Interceptor laid undisturbed by the fire. Tonight seemed to be unending, and the moon and stars seemed bestilled in their orbits.  
  
Relm was wide eyed in her room upstairs, looking out the windown and playing with a paintbrush between her fingers. She was looking at the stars, it was a crystal clear night. "I wish Terra could see this. The stars are sooo pretty! And Mog and Gau... i wish we were still all together." she leaned her head on one of her hands sighing. "It's not right that Maudin's gone... Mean ol' Kefka..." She climbed up on the window sill and sat there looking up at the night sky. It was chilly enough to give her goose bumps. "If Gau becomes a Caller, Terra can have her daddy back." She smiled inwardly.  
  
"Relm!" Strago crid rapping his cane against the door, "You're still up! Go to bed! NOW!"  
  
Relm rolled her eyes, "In a minute Gramps!"  
  
"Now young lady or I'll!"  
  
"Hmph... Ok ok ! I'll be in bed in a minute!"  
  
"You'd better be!"  
  
She looked up at the sky with a thoughtful smile as a shooting star streaked across the darkness. "Someday little star... we'll all be together again, I promise. Everyone. Because I wished on you."  
  
"Setzer.." came a voice from behind him.  
  
A smile came to his face, "Daryl..." He was always dumb-stricken in her presence. "th... this is for you." He smiled and offered a rose held delicately between thumb and forefinger. It's stem was long and freshly green, and the rose a lushious red.  
  
"Thank you Setzer I... ow!" As she reached to grab the rose, she pricked her finger on a thorn.  
  
The rose was instantly dropped as in Setzer's pale hands, he held her smaller hand in his. He searched the wound tenderly, finding it on her poiter finger, her blood trailed onto his hand and she lamented being so careless/ "It's my fault Daryl, I should have warned you about the thorns/" he said softly, "Let me take care of you."  
  
He cleaned out the wound with alcohol, then tied a small strip of cloth around it. Then in horror, after it was all done, noticed the discarded rose, that had been smashed underfoot in his hury to heal her. He picked it up saddly, but Daryl smiled.  
  
"It's ok Setzer.." was all she said, but somehow that was enough.  
  
"Barram?"  
  
'No, not again...' he groaned. 'Not again...'  
  
"Kill me..."  
  
"I ...can't."  
  
'Wh.... why... Why must I relive this?'  
  
"Where am I?" he said breathing heavily... holding a bloodied cloth to his side.  
  
"Thamasa... Can you stand?" said a woman. He couldn't focus on her, his eyesight too blurry.  
  
"Maybe..."  
  
"Come with me."  
  
He was bleeding and shakey in his steps, and could hardly move. His hand caught the tree more than once to try and help himself up. When the woman noticed his pain she went back yp him and put an arm around him to support him. She started to whispper to him... "Sleep..." and that was all he could remember. 


End file.
